Scarlett
Whoo boy! OK. Post-mugging and post-filing a police report, Gunnar stays over on Scarlett’s couch to comfort her after their pistol-whipping ordeal in a grocery store parking lot. The cops have called and they already have a suspect! So Gunnar heads down to the police station to look at mug shots. (They got the wrong guy.) In bed, Scarlett, a poor little cervix sitting in the corner with a dunce cap on (that’s literally a description that happens in this episode), is suffering from very bad cramps. She was pushed into that car by the bad teens, after all. She looks down and there’s blood.
She calls Deacon, who rushes over to find her scrubbing blood off the linens. He takes her to the hospital, and an ultrasound confirms that the baby’s heart has stopped beating — Scarlett had a miscarriage. The doctor tells her it was not caused by being pushed down, that it just happened, and it’s not her fault (or anyone’s).
So Gunnar (who eventually ends up at the hospital) takes her home, and she asks for some time to be alone. He goes back to his place, and tells Will that he feels bad for not being an idiot hero and beating up the child with a gun. Will (who does not know about the miscarriage) tells him that it’s not his fault. Guess what — Will’s wisdom doesn’t work.
Will may not know about Scarlett’s miscarriage — but that lady Jessie does! Deacon told her, like, immediately, and because she’s nice/creepin’ on Deke, she stops by Scarlett’s house to drop off a post-miscarriage care package: tea, vitamins and the misandrist Ghostbusters. Scarlett invites her in, because she has basically no women in her life. Jessie tells Scarlett that in fact, she’s had two miscarriages herself. They do the Very Special Episode talk about how no one talks about these things, and then even laugh about incompetent cervixes.
When Deacon pops by (everyone in this show is always popping by, always) he’s surprised to see Jessie there. He’s angry, because of reasons that I really don’t care about — basically, “Isn’t my niece angry with me for sharing her deeply upsetting personal medical business with a stranger?” Hey, good point! Fuck you, Deacon! But Scarlett’s not angry (sure, whatever) and Deacon learns from Jessie that sometimes women understand one another over shared experiences or w/e. Brand-new information for Deacon.
Poor Bill Martin Foods, the scene of the crime. Are there crimes in that neighborhood? Anyway, Gunnar, all filthy and bedraggled, is scouring the streets in search of the Bad Teens who have yet to be caught. And, hooray, GUNNAR FINDS THE TEEN AND BEATS HIM UP. In an alley. It’s great. All hepped up on vengeance adrenaline, he goes to Scarlett’s house to whine and talk about their relationship. He was almost cool for one second (the violence), but now he sucks again!
Scarlett, who is probably still bleeding, has to go comfort him, of course, because he’s the fucking worst! She breaks up with him for good, hopefully, because instead of lying on the sofa, drinking tea and smoking weed and watching Ghostbusters and feeling sorry for herself and grieving her lost child, she’s gotta deal with Gunnar diapers. Anyway, he decides to join Avery on tour so he can learn who he is. He’s a guy who’s gonna get wasted and laid a lot, is my guess.
Scarlett has decided she still wants to perform at a fundraiser for a women’s health clinic. She will sing there by herself! I guess she doesn’t get stage fright at all any more. She tells the crowd about her miscarriage, and how important it is for people to talk openly and end the unnecessary secret. Scarlett — I AGREE!!! Then she whisper-sings a tiny lil’ sad song. If Scarlett turns into a feminist folk singer I will be so happy, you guys.
Juliette
Juliette’s song, “Water Rising,” has had many downloads. Much congrats to her renewed success after a failed gospel stint – all those nice church people are gone now, forever. There’s a promo party for her single coming up, and the label folks also want Juliette to perform the song with Maddie, who is playing at the Wildhorse. But the SONG DRAMA is not over (for Juliette STOLE “Water Rising” from Maddie, you see) — Juliette is trying to ensure that the dude who wrote the song doesn’t cross paths with Maddie.
At Maddie’s show, Juliette goes through the motions of duet-ing “Water Rising.” There are weird stage vibes — the most delicious kind of vibes. But Maddie, unlike me, found the vibes distasteful, and stops by Juliette’s house the next day to … apologize? Even though the vibes were all Juliette’s fault, Maddie says she doesn’t want Juliette to feel pressure to perform with her — that she’s not using her at all! (She’s using her a little.)
So at the “Water Rising” promo party, Juliette is still doing everything she can to keep the songwriter away from Maddie. But it doesn’t work! He tells Maddie that it’s too bad she passed on his song — first she’s heard of it! So, in true Real House-teens of Nashville fashion, Maddie returns to the party to CONFRONT Juliette about stealing (“stealing”) the song. SHE THROWS A DRINK IN JULIETTE’S FACE. It’s phenomenal. “There’s nothing to talk about, LIAR.” Good stuff. But of course, Juliette goes to apologize the next day. She has to explain herself to a door-answering Daphne, who confirms Juliette’s genuine contriteness to Maddie. Will Maddie forgive? (Almost certainly, like, next week.)
